Tigers' Fister hit in head with liner, stays in game (GIF)

Oct. 26, 2012
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Tigers pitcher Doug Fister (second from left) is checked on by trainer Kevin Rand (middle) after being struck in the head with a batted ball in the second inning of Game 2. / H. Darr Beiser, USA TODAY Sports

by John Perrotto, Special for USA TODAY

by John Perrotto, Special for USA TODAY

SAN FRANCISCO -- There is an old baseball expression that says the ball will always find you.

It certainly has found Detroit Tigers pitcher Doug Fister in each of his last two starts, but he has been fortunate to avoid serious injury.

San Francisco Giants left fielder Gregor Blanco lined a ball off the side of Fister's head on Thursday night during the second inning of Game 2 of the World Series at AT&T Park. Tigers manager Jim Leyland and head athletic trainer Kevin Rand quickly visited the mound, but Fister stayed in the game after a brief examination.

During the conference on the mound with Rand, a Fox microphone picked up the conversation.

"You OK?" said the trainer.

"Yeah. Got it in the back of the head," Fister said.

Though the line drive caromed all the way into center field, Fister showed no ill effects, pitching into the seventh inning. After allowing a lead-off single to Hunter Pence, Fister was lifted for a reliever. He was charged with one earned run on four hits. He threw 114 pitches.

"I didn't see any stars. I didn't have a headache," Fister said after the game. "I told them there are two runners on, two out, it's Game 2. And I'm going to get the third out."

Fister walked the next batter, but then set down the next 12.

Fister was also struck on the right wrist by a liner of the bat of New York Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series. Fister stayed in that game, too, showing that he is apparently indestructible.

The beaning was reminiscent of the line drive Oakland Athletics right-hander Brandon McCarthy took off his head on Sept. 5, a shot hit by the Los Angeles Angels' Erick Aybar.

As opposed to Fister, who remained on his feet and followed the path of the ball into center field, McCarthy was knocked to the ground and sat there for a while feeling his head.

He walked off the field without assistance, but was taken to a hospital, where a broken skull was diagnosed. McCarthy had to undergo surgery to relieve pressure on his brain and to address an accumulation of blood under the skull.